Background: A 65-year-old man is described with a 40-year history of lupus vulgaris exfoliativus, a form of cutaneous tuberculosis that resembles psoriasis. He had been misdiagnosed as having psoriasis vulgaris for many years. A cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma developed within a plaque of lupus vulgaris exfoliativus.
Methods: A skin biopsy provided the correct diagnoses.
Results: The patient was successfully treated with medication for tuberculosis and had his skin cancer cured by surgical excision.
Conclusions: With an increasing worldwide incidence of tuberculosis, one needs to be aware of its cutaneous forms and variants, as well as its complications, in particular skin cancer. Lupus vulgaris exfoliativus may resemble psoriasis vulgaris.